Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-11-11
THE ROAD TO WEALTH.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM THE
GREAT AMERICAN SNOWMAN.

ECONOMY Is MlSapprenenueu - Ooou
Health Essential to Success-A Safe
P1an-Ambition, Po1iteness, Integrity.
The road to wealth is, as DR.. Franklin
truly says, 'sas plain as the road to mill. -
1t consists simply in expanding less than
we earn. Many may say 'We under
stand this; this is economy, and we know
economy is wealth; we know we can't eat
our cake and keep it Also" Yet, perhaps,
more failures arise from mistakes on this
point than almost any other. True
economy is misapprehended, and people
go through life without properly compre-
hending what that principle is. There
are many who think that economy con-
sists in saving cheese parings and candle
ends, in cutting off twopence from the
laundress' bill, and doing all sorts of
little mean things.
Economy is not meanness. This false
economy may frequently be seen in men
of business, and in those instances it often
runs to writing paper. You find good
business men who save all the old enve-
lopes and scraps, and would not tear
new sheet of paper if they could avoid it,
for the world That is all very well; they
may in this way save SIS or $40 year, but
being so economical (only in note paper,
they think they can afford to waste time,
to have expensive parties and to drive their
carriages. True economy consists in
always making the income exceed the out
go. 1t needs no prophet to tell us that
those who live fully up to their means,
without any thought of reverse in this
life, can never attain independence.
THE LAWS OF HEALTH.
The foundation of success in life is good
health; that is the substratum of fortune.
Then, how important it is to study the
laws of health, which is but another name
for the laws of nature. The closer we
keep to the laws of nature the nearer we
are to good health. Tobacco and rum
uuires a clear brain. No matter how
beautifully man may be blessed with
intelligence, if the brain is muddled and
his judgment warped by drink, it is inn
possible for him to carry on business sue
ceSsfully.
The safest plan, and the one most sure
of success for the young man starting in
life, is to select the vocation which is most
congenial to his tastes. There is as much
diversity in our brains as in our counter
ances. Some men are born mechanics,
while some have great aversion to ma
chnery. Unless a man enters upon vo-
cation intended for him by nature, and
best suited to his peculiar genius, he can
not succeed. After securing the right vo-
cation, you must be careful to select the
proper location, and not begin business
where there are already enough to meet
all demands in the same occupation.
No man has right to expect to succeed
in life unless he understands his business,
and nobody can understand his business
thoroughly unless he learns it by personal
application and experience. You must
exercise caution in laying your plans, but
be bold in carrying them out. A man
who is all caution will never dare to take
hold and be successful, and a man who,
is all boldness is merely reckless and
must eventually fail
There is no such thing in the world as
luck If man adopts proper methods
to be successful, 'luckn will not prevent
him. If he does not succeed there are
reasons for it, although, perhaps, he may
not be able to see them.
Money is good for nothing unless you
know the value of it by experience. Give
boy $40, 900 and put him in business,
and the chances are that he will loose
every dollar of it before he is a year older.
| Nine out of ten of the rich men of our
country today started out in life as poor
| boys, with determined wills, industry,
| perseverance, economy, and good habits
| EXCEL ALL OTHERS.
| The great ambition should be to excel
| all others engaged in the same occupa-
ton Whenever you find the best doctor,
q, best clergyman, best shoemaker or any
| thing else, that man is most sought for,
and always has enough to do. Every boy
| should learn some trade or profession.
Engage in one kind of business only and
stick to it faithfully until you succeed or
until your experience shows that you
| should abandon it. A constant hammering
on one nail will generally drive it home at
last, so that it can be clinched. There is
| good sense in the old caution about hav-
( ing too many irons in the fire at once
| Beware of ''outside operations"
| Read the newspapers, and keep thor
| oughly posted in regard to the transac-
| lions of the world.
Be careful to advertise in some shape or
\ other, because it is evident that if a man
has ever so good an article for sale, and
! nobody knows it, it will bring him no re-
turn The whole philosophy of life is,
| first SOW, then reap. This principle APP
| plies to all kinds of business and to
nothing more eminently than to adver-
| Using. If man has a really good arti-
Gle, there is no way in which he can reap
more advantageously than by sowing
! to the public in this way.
| Politeness and civility are the best CAPT
tai ever invested in business. Large
| stores, gilt signs, flaming advertisements
will all prove unavailing if you or your
employees treat your patrons abruptly.
The more kind and liberal man is, the
more generous will be the patronage be-
slowed upon him.
Preserve your integrity; it is more
precious than diamonds or rubies. The
most difficult thing in life is to make
money dishonesty. Our prisons are full
of men who attempted to follow this
course. No man can be dishonest with
! out soon being found out, and when his
lack of principle is discovered, nearly
every avenue to success is closed against
him forever. Strict honesty not only lies
at the foundation of all success in life
financially, but in every other respect. =
P. 7. Barnum in New York Sun.